Fifth and second at Phillip Island
Jonathan Rea had a tough start to the defence of his World Superbike title.
The Castletown resident finished fifth and second at the opening round of the 2018 championship at Phillip Island, Australia.
He had been in second place in the first race, until tyre issues later on saw him drop down the field, while he was pipped by hundredths of a second in race two.
Marco Melandri won both.
Rea has dominated the Australian round for the last three years, winning five of the six races and coming second in the other one.
He is aiming for a fourth consecutive WSBK title.
Shooting: Zac Bellhouse wins final round of Utopia Hair Salon Series round
Cycling: Bronze for Bostock in European Championships in Turkey
Motorsport: Enduro Centre Round 1 takes place this weekend
Athletics: New personal best for Regan Corrin
